Here
by ofthehallows
Summary: "Goodnight- actually, it's morning on your end, isn't it?" That was the last thing she said to him, before it all went to shit. It's been two years. Two fucking years since he's seen her face, or even heard her voice. Two years since he last tangled his fingers in her golden curls. Two years since he received that call. AU. Rogue/OC. Rated M for Language and possible adult themes.
1. Chapter 01

**Alright y'all, here I have the beginnings of a short story I'm gonna work on in between updates for "Demons". It's another Rogue x Katja (my OC from "Demons"), but also includes other pairings such as GaLe, NaLu, even a bit of Jerza. It's gonna be a bit angsty to start off, but it'll get better (I swear). Sorry in advance if there's any OOCness with Rogue, but he was kind of angsty all during the GMG arc in the manga. OH, if you have not already, go check out my other story, because I fixed it up a bit. Rated M for language and possible adult themes.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing and nobody, besides Katja and Eve.**

* * *

He wanted to die. No, seriously.

As a detective in the Special Victims unit of the NYPD, mental deterioration comes with the job. In short, he's seen some shit.

Raios (Rogue) Cheney just closed a case involving serial rapist and pedophile, Karl Jones. A vague _fucking_ name for a vague _fucking_ character.

No one saw it coming, not even Sting.

Jones appeared to be your average middle-aged, Caucasian male. Key word: appeared.

This fucker was so, _so_ careful _, so_ cunning, that even Chief Fernandez didn't realize the connection. Not until it was too late.

Too late for Emily Robinson, a six-year old victim who had been missing for nearly three months before they uncovered her desecrated body in a Jersey salt marsh.

It was too much.

Too much for the rookie, just out of grad school, who left yesterday because he couldn't take the pressure. A degree or two in Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement means jack-shit if you're not prepared for the horror and mental strain.

Rogue continued this destructive mulling as Sting pulled up to his apartment building, letting him out at the curb. He must've worn an abominable expression, because his blond partner seemed concerned.

"Hey man, you alright?" He and Sting have been close since childhood, so the man could tell when he was seething.

"Fine," he huffed, but Sting didn't seem convinced. However, he knew when to let him be.

"Hm. Well, get some sleep. I'll see ya tomorrow."

Rogue grunted in response, and stepped out of the vehicle. Sting glanced at him once more, and gave a short wave as he drove away.

He stared after Sting's car for a few moments, suddenly feeling like an ass for taking out his frustration on his partner. Rogue would apologize tomorrow, but right now, he needed sleep.

* * *

The young detective slowly climbed the seven flights up to his floor, where he couldn't wait to pass out.

He approached the door, and found it locked upon jiggling the doorknob.

 _Ah,_ he thought, _right._ Taking out his keys, Rogue let himself into the suburban apartment.

Rogue decided to grab some clothes before hitting the shower. He entered the small bedroom, and immediately saw the two balls of fur curled in the covers, one black, and one brown tabby. However, only one perked up and meowed in greeting.

"Hey guys," he said tiredly, but still gave them both a pet as he passed. Eve, the black cat, just looked at him morosely from the mattress. Sighing, he rubbed her ears gently. "I know..."

Making his way to the dresser, he grabbed a black sleeveless shirt and a pair of burgundy sweatpants from the bottom drawer. After obtaining said items, he threw off his work attire and shuffled into the bathroom, turning the water onto full blast.

Stepping through the curtain, he turned his face fully into the hot stream. His showers used to take a maximum of five minutes, but that time has quadrupled, even quintupled over the past couple of years. Which sucked, because the longer he spent under the water, the more he thought about _her._ Tonight was no different.

He could already feel the flush of despair flooding his chest, but it was _way_ too late for him to forget.

Exactly two years and two weeks had passed since their last conversation.

" _Goodnight- actually, its morning on your end, isn't it?"_

Remembering the sound of her voice was painful, but he couldn't make himself delete her old voicemails.

" _Yeah,"_ he always responded, " _where are you again?"_

She would chuckle airily in that deep voice of hers, because they both knew she couldn't tell him.

Then, they would go quiet, and just sit comfortably with the other on the line. Every once in a while, before hanging up, she would release a sigh and an amused hum.

" _What?"_ He would ask, and she would always pause before replying.

" _Um …I love you, Raios."_

That was the last thing she said to him, before everything went to shit.

It's been two years. Two _fucking_ years since he's seen her face, or even heard her voice. Two years since he last tangled his fingers in her golden curls.

Two years since he received that call.

* * *

 **Ayyyyyyy... Yeah, it's way short, but it's late and I can't sleep through class again, haaaaa. Imma write more later, so don't give up on me! Drop a review and tell me what you think, 'cause I ain't afraid a' no flames!**

 **Thanks, as always.**

 **~ofthehallows~**


	2. Chapter 02

**Wassup? I'm back again, with a longer chapter that I basically wrote on a four-hour car ride to my Grandparent's house. I don't have much to say, besides please R &R, and I hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: Seriously?**

* * *

Rogue would never forget the day they called.

She'd been away for nearly two weeks, off doing God-knows what in some other country and was due home in three days; on Christmas Eve. Traditionally, they would go over to Gajeel's place and have dinner with him and Levy, and spend Christmas day with Sting and everyone else down at Sabertooth Inn. However, that year it didn't happen as planned.

It was early, about five or six in the morning, when their phone rang on December 21. The word "unknown" lit the screen, but that wasn't unusual whenever she decided to call.

Thinking nothing of it, he answered. He was up anyway, and still had an hour or so before heading to the precinct.

To his surprise, an unfamiliar voice spoke through the receiver.

 _"T_ _his the residence of Katja Bergstrafe?"_ Rogue stiffened at the question. She warned him about this, about people calling and asking her whereabouts or other information.

A few beats of silence preceded his response.

"May I ask whose calling?" He just wanted to hang up, but the man on the other end quickly caught his attention.

 _"_ _Listen to me, son. Something's happened. We've lost all contact… There's no sign of her."_

His pulse quickened, deafening him as he froze in place.

"What….." He couldn't even speak. An enormous weight settled in his chest, nearly crushing him as his mind failed to function.

 _"_ _I can't divulge any more information. I'll call again if things change."_

Rogue stood paralyzed with shock as the line went dead.

* * *

After nearly an hour under the water, Rogue stepped out of the shower. Steam clouded his vision as he wrapped himself in a towel, and only cleared up when he cracked a small window above the toilet.

Once the mirror defogged, he took a good look at his reflection.

His usually pale complexion glowed slightly pink from the heated water, and long, dark hair barely skimmed his shoulders. He needed a haircut.

Rogue usually kept it up in a short tail, with his bangs always escaping their confines, but it's been bothering him lately. Huffing in annoyance at his reflection, he traded his towel for the clothing he brought and went to find something for dinner.

 _Fuck,_ he cursed to himself. While looking in the fridge, he realized that he forgot to buy groceries yesterday after work. He'd definitely need to go tomorrow, because Gajeel was expecting him to bring appetizers and Levy would lecture him if he forgot them again _this_ Christmas Eve.

 _Pizza it is…_ Grabbing the phone and a beer, he called Blue Pegasus Italian Eatery and ordered a medium pie with sausage and peppers.

Before he forgot, Rogue checked to make sure Eve and Frosch had enough food and water for the night. Once that was done, he took his beverage and sat by the window.

Snow flurried against the glass as it flew with the wind, and as he gazed into the dark, he once again lost himself in thought.

They'd been together for five years, since they were twenty-one.

Katja appeared in his life during their freshman year of college. They met for the first time when Gajeel, a junior, dragged her to their recreational club on a brisk day in November. She was quiet, but livened up once Natsu got in her face for one reason or another. The pink-haired youth was quite a livewire and made friends easily, whereas she kept to herself most times.

According to Gajeel, she dreaded even the thought of joining their club when he first mentioned it, but eventually got her to admit that she liked being there after visiting a few times. The pierced man had a few classes with Katja (since he failed a freshman course, or two), and really got to know her when they bonded over their mutual hate of math. Those two really got along, probably because they were so much alike.

Rogue, at the time, thought she was okay. A little aggressive, maybe, but quite intelligent and not a psycho or anything. They were partnered in Geology Lab, but never really became friends until later on.

Katja wasn't attractive in the traditional sense, but still beautiful regarless. Her demeanor was naturally repellant and she didn't mind being alone, so not many people could forge a relationship with the woman. She double-majored in Modern Languages and International Relations, making her quite the rival in political debates.

She was also rough and tough, not giving a shit- or taking any, for that matter. Rogue found this out one night, after their lab, when a particularly racist classmate started commenting on his heritage (he's half-American, and half-Japanese. Apparently, some people had a problem with that).

They were walking side-by-side, conversing about their report, when said classmate approached them and began obnoxiously preaching his hate of Asians. Rogue suspected this student (a white male) was drunk, high, or a bit of both (due to his slurred speech and wobbly stride), so opted to ignore him. He and Katja kept walking, but the guy followed even when she sent a deadly glare his way.

It was when he had tailed them back to their dorm, that Katja lost her temper. She spun around, and broke the guy's nose with a powerful right-hook.

Rogue was stunned, to say the least, and just watched as the student skulked away, cursing her out and spitting blood all the while. She huffed, and flexed her bruised hand a few times before lowering it back to her side. He must have worn a ridiculous expression, because she raised an eyebrow at him when their eyes met.

"I…" She began, looking away quickly, "Have _no_ tolerance for that bullshit."

It was five months after she disappeared that he received a second call from the unnamed individual. Five months of anger, anxiety, and unanswered questions took a toll on him. He ate very little, and slept even less. There was never a day he felt at ease.

Rogue didn't even know what to think when he heard the man greet him through the phone.

 _"_ _There's nothing," The man explained, "we found blood, but the trail's gone cold. It's best to assume the worst."_

Rogue said nothing- or, more accurately, couldn't.

Frigid numbness encompassed his whole being. There wasn't any despair, or even any semblance of emotion. Just nothing.

The speaker must have understood, because he let out a softer _"_ _I'm sorry, son"_ before ending the call.

He probably stood there for ten minutes or so out of pure shock. No reaction came until hours later, when he began drowning in despair.

* * *

It was strange.

Rogue usually didn't think about her _this_ much on a daily basis; just about how much he missed her. He took a swig of lager, the alcohol settling with a comforting warmth in his stomach.

To his surprise, Eve came out of the bedroom and hopped onto the arm of his chair, settling in his lap once she got comfortable. The black feline had been ignoring him for a while now, not asking for attention, or anything. She stopped eating for a few weeks shortly after Katja disappeared, so he had taken her to the vet out of worry.

The young veterinarian, Dr. Strauss, had short platinum hair and a kind smile. After a thorough examination, she told him Eve suffered from depression. That didn't surprise him at all, because at the time, he did too. After prescribing a low-dose antidepressant, she sent them on their way.

Eve started eating regularly after taking the meds, but she was never as eager for attention since then.

He scratched the side of her neck as he sat, where she started purring quietly after a few minutes. She actually started off belonging solely to Katja, but became _theirs_ once they moved in together.

It was in January of their junior year, he recalled, on a particularly cold day when Katja got into that fight. Two teenage delinquents had attacked a stray cat and her three young kittens because, apparently, they had nothing better to do. They brutally beat the mother, and were about to go for her kittens when Katja showed up.

She was walking back from her part-time job when she came upon the scene. Long story short, she kicked the shit out of the two boys and sent them running.

He showed up shortly after receiving her urgent call, where she sounded near hysterical, and saw the state of the mother cat.

There was no saving her.

Katja kneeled on the pavement, and stroked the mothers head as she died. She clutched the three squirming puffs of fur to her chest and cried. He could feel her rage and sorrow radiate through him when he lay a hand on her shoulder. She almost never lost composure like this, which is why he responded so quickly to her call.

Once Katja calmed enough to stand, he wrapped the mother in his jacket and drove them all to the local animal hospital. The kittens escaped harm, but needed fluids and a few days of observation and vaccines before they could leave.

While they both sat in the waiting room, she never said a word, only glared down at the floor. Rogue new her well enough by now to understand her position on abuse and neglect. He just hoped those boys never crossed her path again, for their sakes.

The three kittens (one gray, one white, and one black) came back with them after three days in the clinic. Katja decided to keep them in her dorm room and find homes instead of handing them over to a shelter. Surprisingly, Natsu ended up adopting two of the kittens, giving the white one to his sister, Wendy, back in Boston, and kept the gray one with him on campus. No one else was able to take the little black one, so Katja kept her. Technically, they weren't supposed to have animals in the dorms, but none of the RAs seemed to care either way.

Gajeel was jealous that he didn't get a cat, but he'd been away on an internship at the time. And probably for the best, because not two weeks later, he took in a local stray with a sizeable scar over its left eye.

Rogue was pulled out of his thoughts when the doorbell chimed, sending Eve scurrying back to the bedroom.

 _Ah, pizza…_ He got up with his glass and fetched some cash to pay the deliverer, whom he hoped _wasn't_ Ichiya this time. Setting the money down on a small table, he slid the bolt and opened the door. A sheer breeze blew from the opening, but it didn't bother him any.

"Raios…" An unsettlingly familiar voice graced his ears.

The glass fell from his hand, shattering to pieces on the hardwood floor.

* * *

 **Heyyyyy... Sorry about the cliffhanger, but its kind of my style. So, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this longer chapter of "Here".**

 **I will be updating more frequently with this story because it's shorter, and the idea has been buzzing around my head so much, that I just need to expel it from my mind.**

 **Thanks, as always, and don't forget to leave a review!**

 **~ofthehallows~**


	3. UPDATE

Hey guys :)

Wow, it's been a hot minute, hasn't it?

First of all, I just wanted to thank you for reading this story.

Secondly, GUESS WHO'S BACK?!

Long story short: after a lot of real life shit and a long hiatus, I decided to rewrite and cross-post "Demons" and "Here" to (Ao3), where you can find me at **oneofthecacti**. I am much more active on that site, so you guys will be able to communicate with me more easily than you would on here. Also, my writing style has changed a lot since 2015, so it just makes more sense to redo what I've got, rather than try and update on top of it. So, because I'm still in love with this idea, I will be rewriting the chapters I have and continuing the story from there.

Sadly, I cannot guarantee an update schedule because of work and summer classes, but I really hope you guys like the story as much as I do. And with Fairy Tail ending soon, it'll be easier to expand on ideas I had without worrying about any of the canon elements.

And to those of you who still follow this after not hearing from me for literally a century, thank you so, so much.

For real, you guys kept me going and motivated to continue this, and I love you all *cries*

Just so there is no confusion, I WILL NOT BE POSTING OR UPDATING TO FROM NOW ON. So, hopefully I'll catch you guys over on Ao3 3

That being said, I cant wait to get back into it :)

Love,

ofthehallows (FF)

oneofthecacti (ao3)


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